Guwahati : The Assam Legislative Assembly Secretariat has discontinued the services of 12 retired officers and employees who had been re-employed on contractual assignments, signalling the start of a major administrative overhaul under newly elected Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass.

According to an official order issued by the Secretariat on May 29, the contractual engagements of the retired personnel were terminated with immediate effect. The affected employees had been serving in a range of positions, including Officers on Special Duty (OSDs), coordinators, attendants and support staff across various departments of the Assembly Secretariat.

The order, issued under the authority of the Speaker, stated that all concerned officers and staff stood relieved from their assignments from May 29, 2026.

Those relieved include retired officials posted in key sections such as the Public Undertakings Committee, MLA Hostel, Issue Branch, Legislation Branch, Establishment Branch, Security Branch and other administrative units of the Assembly Secretariat.

The move comes at a time when the functioning of the Assembly Secretariat is under increasing scrutiny over alleged irregularities in appointments and service extensions.

Earlier this month, the All Assam Unemployed Association moved the Gauhati High Court through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), seeking an investigation into nearly 50 appointments made within the Secretariat. The petition alleged that around 34 candidates were recruited to Grade III and Grade IV posts without public advertisement or a transparent selection process.

The PIL further claimed that several of these appointments were later regularised despite alleged procedural violations, raising questions about compliance with established recruitment norms.

The petition also highlighted alleged irregularities in service extensions granted during the tenure of former Speaker Biswajit Daimary. Among the concerns raised were multiple extensions reportedly given to former Secretary Dulal Pegu and the continuation of another official beyond the prescribed retirement age.

Although the latest order does not explicitly connect the termination of contractual appointments with the allegations outlined in the PIL, the development is widely being viewed as part of a broader administrative review initiated under the new Assembly leadership.

Assembly officials have not yet indicated whether additional corrective measures or an internal inquiry into past recruitment and appointment practices will be undertaken.